The National Council of State has approved the nomination of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) from the North-Central zone as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented Amupitan’s name to the council to fill the vacancy created by the exit of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who served as INEC Chairman from 2015 to October 2025.
President Tinubu noted that Amupitan, a native of Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, is the first person from the state and the North-Central region to be nominated for the position. He described him as an apolitical individual of proven integrity.
Council members unanimously endorsed the nomination. Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, praised Amupitan as “a man of character and integrity.”
In line with constitutional provisions, President Tinubu will forward Amupitan’s nomination to the Senate for screening and confirmation.
Aged 58, Professor Amupitan is a Professor of Law and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos, Plateau State. He is also the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Osun State.
A distinguished scholar, Amupitan obtained his LLB from the University of Jos in 1987, was called to the bar in 1988, and earned his LLM and PhD from the same university in 1993 and 2007, respectively.
His academic career began in 1989 after completing his National Youth Service at the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation. Over the years, he has served as Dean of the Faculty of Law, Head of the Department of Public Law, and Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors at UNIJOS.
Outside academia, he has served on several boards, including Integrated Dairies Limited, the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Governing Council, and the Council of Legal Education.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria since 2014, Amupitan has authored several influential law texts, including Corporate Governance: Models and Principles, Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria, and Principles of Company Law.
He is married with four children.
— Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President (Information and Strategy)
October 9, 2025
